How to follow Jessica Alba's morning routine for a successful AM

Being motivated and fit doesn't have to be calorie counting and intense workouts. It could actually be fun.

Jessica Alba is not only a leading lady in Hollywood but also a successful business woman, entrepreneur and mum of two, so when she confided her morning routine to Well+Good, we were all ears.

If you thought achieving what we’ve dubbed the ‘Alba-aesthetic’ is all calorie counting and hard slogs at the gym, you might be surprised by how wholesome and normal her routine is.

Alba starts her day off like most people with a full-time job - waking up at 5:30 - unless her two children Honor and Haven have woken her up first, of course. This is the point where we would usually drag ourselves out of bed, into activewear and walk ourselves to the gym in zombie mode, right?

However, Alba takes a more holistic and positive outlook on exercise. She thinks of it as her personal stress relief and adds “I get good ideas working up a sweat” (we’re guessing this is where the idea for Honest Beauty first arose).

Forget Crossfit or ‘HIIT’ classes, Alba goes for a spin class or hot yoga sculpting with friends. This is a great tip for your own routine, because friends can really motivate you to reach your goals (not to mention that they’ll make you get out of that comfy bed whether you like it or not).

However, before Alba hits the gym she makes sure to take care of her skin. She opts for a brightening moisturiser and hydrating mist.

Once home from the gym, like most people it’s into overdrive to pull all the elements (beauty, outfit, food etc.) together before work at 9am.

For food, it’s avo on gluten-free toast (we’re calling her an honorary Australian for that choice) or a coconut water smoothie. After catching up on the news from all facets of the media - CNN to Buzzfeed - Alba turns her attention to her two kids.

“I get in some morning snuggles with my girls,” Alba told Well+Good. “This does as much for me as it does for them; it clears my mind and opens my heart."

Fun, hey? But when you think about it getting up and working out, eating brekkie and hugging the kids are all quite normal tasks. The main takeaway is to do what you enjoy in the mornings, not what you think you should do - start off the day in a positive way.